Rope-climbing apparatus



May 1, 1928.

0. P. E. WOLF ET AL ROPE cumsme APPARATUS Filed April 11. 1927 Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE. 1

CANADA.

OSWALD PAUL ERNEST wo r AND BENJAMIT: HEWITT, or MATfiEsoN', onTARIo,

Born-CLIMBIN APPARATUS.

Applicationflled April 11,1927, Serial No. 182,928, and in Canada J'ulyl17,1 926 Our invention is characterized by a rope climbing apparatus which comprises an elongated sleeve, consisting of two hinged parts and a slope grip within the sleeve actuated by avlever fulcrumed intermediate its endsto the sleeve. The lever, exterior of the sleeve, is attached to a. stirrup strap or bar having at its lower end a stirrup in which the foot of the climber is entered, and a slotted brace tothe stirrup strap for maintaining the latter in substantially parallel relation to the sleeve. 1 i

The rope is entered betweentherope grip and the Wall of the sleeve, and when weight is imposed on thestirrup strap and lever the rope grip binds wall of the sleeve and the climbing apparatus is then prevented from moving in either direction on the rope, but when the weight is removed from the stirrup strap and lever, the sleeve can move in either direction on the rope. V

For an understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: i i Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ratus,

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view showing in full lines the position of. the rope grip when wei ht is imposed upon the stirrup strap and ever, and in dotted lines, the position of the parts when the apparatus is free to move in either direction upon the rope,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stirrup, and v Fi 4 is a rear view of the apparatus showing the hinge connection for the sleeve sections. 7

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

1 represents a tube or sleeve, the bore 22 of which is of corresponding dimensions to the rope. In the preferred construction, the sleeve consists of two parts 1, 1", connected a pp a 5 together, at one side of the sleeve, by hinges 2, so that they can be opened to permitof the sleeve being placed on the rope. other side of the sleeve, each of the parts 1, 1", is formed with a lug or flange 3 and provide a slot 1 is pivoted to the sleeve andthe rope against the At the sleeve parts and lugs are separated to lengthwise of t the sleeve. Entered through the slot a lever 4 mounted interjacent its ends on.a f fulcrum 5 which extends through the lugs 3, the fulcrum 5 shown in the drawings consisting of a bolt which serves to secure the parts together in their closed position. One arm 4t of the lever projects within the sleeve and the other arm 4hprojects. outside of it; The arm 4 is provided witha rope grip 6 and. the arm 4" is forked. Entered between the the forks of the arm 4' is the upperend of a stirrup. strap or bar 8 the forks of the arm 4" and the stirrup strap 8 is a bolt 9 by which the stirrup strap or bar is connected to the arm 4*. Attached to the outersurface of the from it is a plate 10 andentered through the plate and adjacent side of the sleeve is a bolt 10? Pivoted on the bolt lthbctvveen the plate and sleeve is a link 11 and this link is pivotally-connected to the stirrup strap 8 and operates to brace and maintain the stirrup strap substantially parallel with the sleeve during the performance of its functions. At thelower end' of the stirrup strap is a stirrup 12 for the foot. The weight of the stirrup strap and stirrup is suflicient to draw the lever arm 4 downward and raise the lever arm 4 and rope grip. The latter then engages the rope and binds it against and passing through sleeve and spaced the sleeve moving in either direction on the rope. I i 7 When the weight of the user is imposed upon the stirrup strap the pressure of the grip against the ropeis increased to an extent that makes it impossible for the sleeve to move in any direction.

It :is usual to employ two climbing apparatus on a single rope or to employ two ropes with a climbing apparatus on each. By removing the weight alternately from the StlII'LlP strap, of each climbing apparatus, and raising it until its respective grip is disengaged from'the rope, its sleeve can he stepped either up or down the rope. The stirrup strap of the other climbing apparatus at this period carries the full weight of the user. In this way each apparatus can be moved step b step in either direction along the rope until the limit of travel is upward to release the pressure of the grip on the rope. 7

Where two climbing apparatus are used on the same rope, one sleeve 1s arranged above the other, and in that case it is necessary to make the stirrup strap of one apparatus longer than that of the other, the difference of the lengths of the stirrup straps compensating for the difference in the elevation of the two sleeves on the'rope.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A climbing apparatus comprising a sleeve, a lever fulcrumed to the sleeve in terjacent its ends, one arm of which is entered within the sleeve and the other arm of which pro'ects outside of it, a rope grip actuated by t e lever arm within the sleeve, a stirrup strap attached to the lever arm projecting outside the sleeve, a stirrup for the stirrup strap, and a slotted brace connected to the sleeve and to the stirrup strap. 7

2. A rope climbing apparatus comprising an elongated sleeve consisting of two hinged parts and means for locking them together, a lever fulcrumed to the sleeve having one arm entered within the sleeve and provided with a rope (grip and the other arm projecting beyon it, a stirrup strap connected to the lever-arm projecting beyond the sleeve, a stirrup for the stirrup strap, and a slotted brace pivoted to the stirrup strap and to the sleeve. 7

3. A rope climbing apparatus comprising an elongated sleeve consisting of two parts connected together at one side of the sleeve by hinges and at the other side of the sleeve formed with lugs through which is entered a bolt to secure the parts together in their closed position, a lever fulcrumed on the bolt, one arm of which is entered within the sleeve and provided with a. rope grip and the other arm of which is forked and projects outside of the sleeve, a stirrup strap attached tothe forked end of the lever, and a stirrup for the stirrup strap.

4. A rope climbing apparatus comprising an elongated sleeve consisti connected together at one si e of the sleeve by hinges and at the other side ofthe sleeve formed with lugs through which is entered a bolt to secure the parts together in their closed position, a lever fulcrumed on the bolt, one arm of whichis entered within the sleeve and provided witharope gri and the other arm of which is forked an projects outside of the sleeve, a stirru strap attached to the forked end of t e lever, a stirrup for the stirrup strap, and a slotted brace pivotally connected to the stirrup strap and to the sleeve. i

Dated at the town of Matheson, in the district of Cochrane, and Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, this 26th day of Feby,

()SWALD PAUL ERNEST WOLF. BENJAMIN HEWITT.

of two parts a 

